Photo By Max Lonzanida | US Navy Sailors from commands in the Hampton Roads, Virginia area take the Oath of...... read more read more
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On Thursday, November 8. 2018, 29 candidates for US Citizenship crossed the gangway to board the USS Wisconsin (BB 64). It’s a sight that is repeated daily, as the ship hosts re-enlistments, retirements and promotions on her ageless teak decks. But this group of service members crossing the gangway was unique. Twenty-seven of them were in the US Navy, along with one in the US Army and another in the US Air Force; for a total of twenty nine service members. All twenty-nine of them were service members in active service, and they came from all points in the globe including the Philippines, Jamaica, Ghana, Nigeria, China, Vietnam, Congo, Kenya, Federated States of Micronesia, Togo and Burkina Faso. They all stopped just before the gangway ended and faced aft to render honors to the national ensign and headed aft to the fantail.
They all boarded the Iowa-Class Battleship as former immigrants, and they would depart the ship later that day as US Citizens, in an iconic and historic naturalization ceremony for service members. The ceremony was hosted by the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, in proud partnership with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the US District Court of Eastern Virginia, Nauticus and the City of Norfolk. This was the first time in over a decade that so many service members would earn their naturalization certificates aboard the Wisky.
The naturalization ceremony was presided over by the Honorable Henry Coke Morgan, Jr, US District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia. Morgan provided some opening remarks and noted with eloquence that naturalization ceremonies are “one of the favorite ceremonies that judges in our court have to perform; today, we get to rule in favor of everybody.”
Thereafter, candidates for citizenship stood at attention and rendered a salute as Fotu Misa, an Immigration Services Officer with the Norfolk Office of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, performed the National Anthem. Virginia Van Valkenburg, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia formally presented the candidates for citizenship; and noted that “each candidate has been examined under Oath by a designated official of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services and has been found eligible in all respects.” The Oath of Allegiance was recited by candidates, and Roberta Gribble, Vice Regent for the Great Bridge Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, led the candidates in reciting the American’s Creed.
Afterwards, the ceremony’s guest speakers, Taneisha Kelly, an Immigration Services Officer, took to the podium. Kelly remarked on her own journey to become an Immigration Services Officer and included some resonating remarks in her speech. Kelly noted that “America is now your land. America needs your fresh perspective, and your cultural contributions.” Thereafter, a folder of naturalization certificates was brought to the podium, and each service member was called to the front. They walked excitedly towards the front, and many fought back tears. The certificates were presented to each candidate, and each returned to their seats with broad smiles across their faces. Judge Morgan concluded the ceremony and provided some closing remarks. After a plethora of handshakes, hugs, pictures with family members and members of their respective commands; twenty-nine service members walked forward with their family members and friends in tow, and departed the ship as the nation’s newest naturalized citizens.
| Date Taken: | 11.09.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 11.12.2018 22:51 |
| Story ID: | 299613 |
| Location: | NORFOLK , VA, US |
| Web Views: | 143 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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